BELT up or face a fine. That is the stern warning by North Yorkshire Police to car drivers and passengers who fail to wear a seat belt.

The force has launched a major crackdown on the county's roads after worrying figures showed that one-in-ten drivers and one in four passengers still do not wear a belt, despite the fact that it is now 20 years since legislation was passed outlawing the practice.

A police spokesman said 18 fixed penalty tickets were issued for the offence within 90 minutes of traffic officers carrying out spot checks in the Thirsk area.

Now seat belt checks will be intensified at different times and locations across the eastern area of North Yorkshire this week in an attempt to reduce the figures and educate the motoring public. Officers will particularly concentrate on policing the roads during the time of the school run.

Acting sergeant Andy Langford, of eastern area road policing group, said: "We're trying to educate car drivers and users. "As well as enforcing the law we will be offering advice on road safety together with telling people just what the consequences are of not wearing a seat belt.

"At the end of the day we are here to promote road safety in an attempt to cut casualties. At times it means we have to carry out checks and get the message home and we will."

Acting-sergeant Langford said officers would be "popping up" everywhere to catch offenders, including Scarborough, Malton, Pickering, Whitby and Northallerton. He said offenders would be fined £30 if found without a setabelt and had 28 days to pay.

"People have just become complacent," he said.

"The number of people we caught in Thirsk is alarming because it wasn't even during the rush hour."

The 20-year-old seat belt legislation was publicised with a famous public information campaign featuring Sir Jimmy Savile.

The TV celebrity's slogan, Clunk Click, Every Trip, became a familiar household saying throughout the country.

Updated: 10:50 Tuesday, November 25, 2003